Not much has been seen or heard locally of female dancehall sensation, Tanya Stephens, in recent times. Showbiz understands that Tanya is busy working taking her music to another level and reinvented herself to look more polished.

We also understand that she's currently in Europe working on an album for a major record company, which will also involve the writing ability of Tanya Stephens.

Olaf 'Chaps' Blackwood is hoping to seal a deal now under negotiation to appear on a single with mega stars, Backstreet Boys of the United States.

Once the deal is finalised, 'Chaps' will travel to Sweden at the end of the year to work on the record. The local performer made the contact with Backstreet Boys' management while on a tour in the U.S. recently.

While he has been deejaying, 'Chaps' aspires to be a singer and hopes to make a success of it internationally in the next two years.

He is a graduate of Ocho Rios High School and has been singing since he was five-years-old while growing up in St. Elizabeth. He was the fourth place winner in the 1996 Tastee Talent Contest finals.

Luciano has been invited by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to appear at a fund-raising concert to aid the next Million Man March. Luciano is expected to be in Chicago on September 24 to perform for the distinguished black leader. Luciano was among few Jamaican artistes, who were present in Washington DC for the first Million Man March.

Comical dancehall artiste Fargo Vice of You See Fargo fame, came face to face with death last week, when he was involved in an accident on Red Hills Road, in Kingston.

His motorcycle was totalled in the accident and the DJ was badly bruised. Vice received more than 20 stitches in one hand and serious lacerations to other parts of his body. Even with the bruises, he is still making plans to travel abroad to work.

Bob Marley

Three giants of Caribbean music, reggae greats Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Trinidadian calyposonian, Lord Kitchener, will be honoured by the University of the West Indies' Panoridim Steel Orchestra at 'Panfest 2000' this year.

The band will pay homage to the trio during the September 9 to 11 festival, to be staged at the Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Drive, Kingston.

Marley was the ambassador of reggae and Jamaican Rastafari around the world. Meanwhile Brown, who passed away in July last year and Kitchener who died early this year, are to be remembered for their pioneering work in Caribbean music.

Rising roots singer Chrisinti looks ready for the big times. He has a single out on the Kings of Kings label, titled No More Rain, which is creating waves.

He is in the process of completing a recording for Beres Hammond's Harmony House label, which everyone believes will give him the push he needs to become a celebrated roots singer.

The song is All Rise and features a mesmerising guitar accompaniment by Winston 'Bo Pee' Bowen.

Saba Tooth has been enjoying
success with his single More Love, which appears on the same rhythm as Beres Hammond's hit They Gonna Talk.

Last night he was set to perform at the Mahai Temple in Miami along with Luciano, Capleton and Junior Kelly.